One of the most frequently kept
pet snakes in the United States today is the Ball Python from West Central
Africa.

Bred in extremely large
numbers for various color (morphs) patterns these gentle and easy to maintain snakes can
be the perfect pet for the novice or experienced keeper.

Pet Ball
Pythons

In response to many requests for information concerning
the captive care of this popular pet snake, RainForest Adventures is providing
the following suggested guidelines for the captive care of the pet Ball Python.

So you want to keep a pet Ball python? Arguably this
is one of the best snakes for the average person to keep as a pet is the African
Ball Python. Small
size, even temper, and general ease of care make this snake a logical choice for
both beginners and experienced keepers alike.

In this article we will address the basic needs and requirements
to successfully keep a pet Ball Python. RainForest Zoo receives many inquiries
into the care and breeding of these snakes, the primary areas that will address
here are:

A native of West Central Africa, the Ball Python is full grown at
approximately four feet in length. There is some
dimorphism
between the males and females with females tending to be slightly longer and
more heavy bodied than males.

The "Ball" aspect of this snake's name comes from its unique and
peculiar aspect of wrapping itself into a ball when startled or confronted with
a potential threat. These snakes are
relatively docile and rarely bite.

There are essentially two ways to purchase a baby Ball Python;
wild caught animals, and captive born babies. We will take a look at both
options here are provide our opinion on which we feel is best.

Ball Pythons are still imported into the United States from west
Africa in very large numbers. The eggs, and or gravid adults are
collected in the wild and the eggs are incubated by individuals in Africa.
Once the babies hatch they are shipped to the United States as well as other
countries. As a general
rule
the imports are newly hatched animals from Benin, Togo and Ghana.
The babies all arrive at roughly the same time every year.

Often priced very inexpensively the baby Ball Pythons are
generally available for several weeks per year. It is our
belief that you should not purchase newly imported babies as the pressure placed
on the wild stocks of animals is having substantial negative impacts.

The other Ball Pythons that are available are those that are
actually born in captivity. Typically these pythons are hatched by
individual hobbyists, or breeders and then resold to the pet stores or are
available for resale by the breeder themselves at pet shows.
This is by far the best way to support not only your local pet store or reptile
show, but also is much more "eco-friendly"

Baby ball pythons that are born in captivity are generally much
less likely to contain parasites, illnesses etc. The pythons are generally
much healthier and adjusted to feeding than a wild caught animal.

It is always a wise idea to have your home for the python set and
ready to go before you bring your new pet home. While this snake does not
required highly specialized environments there are certainly some basic criteria
that must be met for the overall health and well being of your new snake.

Each home is different, the ambient air temperature, location of
the enclosure and other factors may require a day or two for you to ensure the
temperature and humidity factors are stable before brining your pet home.
Always try to determine the temperature of the enclosure both during the day and
night to ensure the enclosure is not too hot or too cold.

The ideal day time temperature range for your snake is 82-95
degrees. An enclosure should have a basking spot, or warm end that is a
higher temperature than the rest of the enclosure. This will allow your
snake to move from a warm area to cooler a one. Nighttime temperatures
should not be allowed to drop below 74 degrees.

Humidity is not as large a concern for this species as with
others, but you should try to maintain the relative humidity higher than the
normal humidity found in most homes. The humidity is a larger factor in
allowing the animal to shed it's skin properly than it is any other health
issue. A large water bowl that the snake can soak in will
significantly aid in both maintaining the humidity and providing a bathing spot
for the snake.

Appropriately sized habitats for captive Ball Pythons would be a
30-gallon-long or a 55 gallon terrarium. Ball Pythons can be housed
together but are generally solitary
creatures except when breeding.

Most Ball Pythons eat rodents such as gerbils,
mice, and rats, although some prefer birds (chicks). The vast majority of
snakes will gladly consume pre-killed rodents. All Ball Pythons are
different, we have worked with hundreds of snakes over the years and have found
some to be aggressive feeders, others very shy, and some very seasonal feeders.
The most critical component of feeding any pet snake is to ensure the
environment is correct and free from excessive stress. This is very
true with the Ball Python, some of these snakes are extremely sensitive to their
environment. If your snake refuses to feed review all of the housing and
husbandry practices to ensure the snake has adequate temperatures and humidity
requirements. Also make every effort not stress the animal prior to
feeding by handling etc.

It is highly recommended that you kill the rodents prior to
feeding any snake. Rodents posses very strong jaws and sharp teeth.
A misplaced strike by a snake can result in the rodent having it's mouth free to
bite the snake during constriction. This will not only result in open
wounds that are subject to infection, but can result in serious injury to the
skeletal structure of the snake. Death is not an
uncommon result of a
snake who is bitten in the spine or other critical area by the rodent. On
occasion a snake may need some encouragement to eat a prey item that is not
moving about on it's own. We typically trick the snake into eating it's
first few meals by simulating movement of the rodent by simply dangling the food
item in front of the snakes face. Be careful not to be be too aggressive
in dangling the food item as this may intimidate the shy Ball Python.

One major benefit to purchasing pre-killed mice, or buying live
mice and killing them your self is the storage of frozen rodents.
Rodents can be store in zip lock bags and stored for months. This
convenience allows you to purchase many months of feeder rodents at a time.
In many cases your cost of feeding your animal will go down as the quantity of
rodents purchased will allow you to take advantage of savings.

Ball Pythons take four or five days to digest a meal and prefer to
do this in a dark, warm place, i.e. "hide-box". Water should be
provided in a large heavy bowl, so that the Ball Python has plenty of room to
soak and cannot tip the container over.

Ball Pythons will defecate approximately 5-7 days after eating a
meal. It is equally as important to monitor your snakes defecation as it
is to monitor the animals feeding schedule. Ball Pythons occasionally
become constipated and will not pass a bowel movement. This can lead to
serious complications, a warm soaking bowl will generally encourage a snake to
defecate. If your snake does not defecate within 14 days of a meal do not
continue to feed the snake until defecation takes place.

The Ball Python has an average lifespan of 20 to 30 years in
captivity. This species of snake is credited with having the longest recorded
life span in captivity, 49 years.

Ball Pythons are timid snakes and may not be a good choice for
children, who may stress them with over-handling or improper handling.

The first step when breeding captive Ball Pythons is to
identify which is the male and which is the female. Visual distinction is
tricky, but sometimes can be made by examining the following differences.
Males
will generally have more curved anal spurs and thicker tails than the
females. The most reliable way of sexing snakes is to have them probed by an
experienced herpetologist or veterinarian. It is recommended to house the
snakes separately until breeding is ready to begin.

Prior to breeding, in October or November, most hobbyists
recommend stopping feeding for a few weeks and leaving them at normal
temperatures. The males and females will then be moved together. Often it is
recommended to breed them in groups with at least two males. The males will
often combat for breeding rights. The breeding tank should contain three
hide boxes. The third will act as a water bowl.

Temperatures and light will need to be carefully regulated at
this time. The research seems to differ a little on this area. Some breeders
will give equal 12-hour shifts between light and dark, while others will
give nine dark and fifteen day. In both cases during the day temperatures
should be maintained in the high 80's Fahrenheit, and in the high 60's low
70's range at night.

Some keepers will also raise humidity levels during breeding,
this, however, does not always seem to be the preferred method. Females
should be offered food every three to four weeks. If they refuse food this
is normal and should not be a cause for concern.

By March or April
it is time to separate the snakes into their own containers.
Females should
be well fed. If they are pregnant (gravid), they will often refuse food.
Provide a nesting box filled with moist peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite.
Typically the gravid female will shed, then within a week or two she will
lay six to seven eggs.

Most females will lay their eggs at night. Many hobbyists
recommend incubating the eggs, rather than leaving them with the female. The
eggs have an incubation period of about 60 days at 88 to 90 degrees
Fahrenheit.

The Future

The future of Ball Pythons in the wild is uncertain. But the future of
captive animals is all but guaranteed. Both amateur and professional
breeders alike are producing amazing color morphs of the Ball Python. Some
very striking color patterns have already been produced and the future holds
many surprises to be sure!